How I Became an Ambassador for Cloth Diapers

For those of you who already cloth diaper, sometimes it seems like all you talk and think about are diapers. What brands you prefer, systems you like, which detergents work well for your washing system, and how much money you’re saving. But, after a few too many trips to your local cloth diaper store, and or online retailer, you’re using the “But honey, I swear we will use these for all the other kids” excuse with your husband to get him off your back.

Thus began my obsession and inadvertently, the beginning of my convincing others to jump on the proverbial cloth diaper wagon. My first converts were my mother and husband. I had a c-section due to a breech baby in September, and because of the nature of my husband’s job, my mother had to come stay with us to take care of my little baby girl and me. I had already made the commitment at that point, set up the system at the house, and prepped all the diapers. At first, my mother and husband used disposables from the diaper cake that was made for my baby shower. When those quickly ran out, I put my foot down and they started using my XS bumGenius AIOs. Later that day, my mother went into the bathroom to rinse the diaper out, like she used to do when she used prefolds with me, and discovered that these new diapers were incredibly absorbent! From that moment on, she was thoroughly impressed and ended up taking one back with her to show all of her colleagues at the NICU. My husband took a little more convincing, but his aha moment came after we put her in a disposable while I stripped all the diapers. He commented as he was putting it on her how flimsy it felt. Two down.

The next converts were friends who started reading my blog, a girl from work who I randomly started showing my diapers to at a basketball game, and an old friend from college that happened to be in town. My love for talking and blogging about cloth diapers has inadvertently turned me into a spokeswoman.

I was initially won over by one of my pregnant friends who after having had her baby, showed me one of her bumGenius AIOs. Later on in my pregnancy, another one of my work colleagues found a local cloth diapering store, and we decided to check it out one day. I walked away convinced that cloth diapering was doable and I’ve never looked back.

I guess my point is, I never set out to convince anyone to start cloth diapering, it’s just happened organically. Through interactions with friends and family members, I’ve shown people that cloth diapering isn’t just wet pails, pins, prefolds, and plastic pants. It’s full of embroidered owls, animal prints, robots, skulls, cherries, and all the colors of the rainbow.

Like I tell all my friends, for me it makes poop fun! I love it when people ask if I actually can go out and do stuff while cloth diapering. They are surprised to find out that I don’t have to use disposables when I go on a trip to the grocery store, or when we road trip down to spend time with my parents. Don't even get me started on making my own wipes wash and using cloth wipes!

With the plethora of options out there, you can easily find a system and a diaper that can work for your baby and your family, anytime and anywhere.

So if you’re wondering how you can convince others to start cloth diapering, I say, lead by example and it will happen. I’m sure every cloth diapering momma out there has a list of people who they’ve helped along. Open up your home and show your friends who are curious what your diaper system looks like. The world of cloth diapering will be won not by visibility on the news, or on the shelves at your local baby store, but with moms like you, doing what you do everyday. Go forth, diaper diva of the dirty diap, and pass on the knowledge that you’ve acquired. Let’s start a little pay it forward system, diaper style.

Cassandra Leach is a high school teacher, yoga enthusiast, and avid cloth diapering blogger currently living in Dallas, TX. To read more about her adventures in cloth diapering and mommyhood you can visit her blog at www.ennoiretblancetvert.blogspot.com!